A Blog dedicated to the socialist-realist art of the communist period in Central and Eastern Europe which can be found in public places, including murals and mosaics on public buildings and statues and sculptures of triumphant workers, scientists and soldiers building socialism together. These are photographs I've taken over the years while travelling throughout the region.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Wall Mural in Dresden, Germany

It is becoming harder and harder to find traces of the old GDR in today's modern Germany; the old Trabant and Wartburg cars have all but disappeared, the socialist housing blocks in the cities have been modernised and given a fresh appearance, and the few traces of The Wall still left have been carefully protected as historical monuments. However, a number of mural paintings have been preserved for their artistic and historical significance - this mural is found right in the historic centre of Dresden on a side wall of the Palace of Culture, a concert theatre built by the socialist government in 1969. The mural features the old state seal of the GDR along with a large red star, and many other common socialist themes such as the role of teachers and the might of the working class. Both peasants and the proletariat raise hammers, sickles and weapons to symbolise their united strength and faith in the socialist cause. The woman at the centre of the mural holding the red flag is a particularly powerful image, representing the resilience and unbreakable spirit of Dresden's citizens when it came time to rebuild the city from the ruins of World War II.

About Me

This blog is based on my personal travel experiences while living and working in Russia, Slovakia, Poland and the Czech Republic for ten years. I am now an academic in the field of East European studies, focusing on the politics and history of Slovakia and western Ukraine. I have a particular interest in the folk culture and wooden architecture of the Carpathian mountains. Eastern Slovakia and Ukraine's Zakarpattya region are my favourite places to explore - I'm familiar with those regions on a village by village level.